Derrick Henry is too big and too old to be running this fast, but he’s still not slowing down.
Derrick Henry is the best running back of his generation, and he’s still going strong nearly a decade after he won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama. Henry changed teams over the offseason for the first time in his pro career, going from the Tennessee Titans to the perennial AFC contender Baltimore Ravens, and he put his game-breaking talent on display once again in a marquee matchup on Sunday Night Football.
There was so much starpower on the field as the Ravens hosted the Buffalo Bills in primetime to cap Sunday’s action in Week 4, but Henry stole the show. He finished with 199 yards rushing on 24 carries, highlighted by an incredible 87-yard TD run to open scoring in the first quarter.
Henry will turn 31 years old in early Jan., and should probably be slowing down at this point. Instead, his combination of size and speed is as striking as ever. Just look at him pull away from the defense on his big touchdown run:
The alternate angle is even more impressive:
Henry reached 21.29 miles per hour on his touchdown run. Let’s put that in perspective:
Derrick Henry reached 21.29 mph on his 87-yard TD run, tied for the 4th-fastest speed by a ball carrier this season, and Henry’s 8th-fastest speed since 2018.
Henry has reached 20+ mph 27 times as a ball carrier since 2018, trailing only Tyreek Hill (73).#BUFvsBAL | @Ravens pic.twitter.com/9ZFOUb0vhk
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 30, 2024
Henry nearly hit the same top speed on this touchdown as Xavier Worthy did on his for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and Worthy holds the record for the NFL Draft combine’s fastest 40-yard-dash time ever at 4.21. By the way, Henry is 82 pounds more!
This is Henry’s eighth fastest run ever by top speed. At 247 pounds, Henry has reach reached a top speed exceeding 20 miles per hour 27 times in his career. Every other player 240 pounds and higher has only done it 30 times since tracking started, per Keegan Abdoo.
Henry’s run was the fourth-fastest top speed of any player this season.
Running back is such a physically demanding position that very few stars have ever been able to extend their excellence into their 30s. Henry still feels as great as ever, and he’s been a wonderful addition to the Ravens. Football fans are witnessing a legend in real time, and we might not see this again. Appreciate Henry while you still can.
